BRP to Exit Sport Boat Market PersonalWatercraft.com September 17, 2012 Shares Comments 350 employees affected by moveIf you’ve been thinking about moving from a PWC to a Sea-Doo sport boat, you’d better act quickly. BRP has announced that it will exit the sport boat business over the coming months. According to BRP, the drop in sales of sport boats since the financial crisis is the cause for the move. The move will affect approximately 350 jobs. Nearly all of those lost jobs will come from BRP’s Benton, Ill facility, while 15 jobs in the Palm Bay, Fla. test center will also be eliminated. BRP says that all impacted employees will receive a good transition package. “This is a difficult but necessary decision for BRP,” says Jos?oisjoli, president and CEO. “We worked hard to grow our sport boat business through a serious sales decline that began in 2007. But now, we must focus our research and development resources and capital investments in areas of our business that offer greater growth potential.” BRP entered the boat manufacturing business in 1994 and purchased the assets of Celebrity Boats in 1995, at which time it moved its facility to Benton, Illinois. “We looked for a buyer for our sport boat business, but that effort proved unsuccessful,” says Boisjoli. “Consequently, we decided not to resume production of the upcoming model year due to seasonal production planning requirements.” BRP will continue to provide parts and honour warranties for its customers. Related ReadingBRP cuts 980 jobshttps://www.personalwatercraft.com/news/brp-cuts-980-jobs-757.html Share Share Subscribe Like PersonalWatercraft.com on Facebook Related Stories Bourgeoius wins second Red Bull Tow-At title PWC rider sets two world records in one day Bushell Leads Sea-Doo Dominance at IJSBA World Finals Comments Most Popular Top Guns: Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 vs. Yamaha GP1800R SVHO July 4, 2022 2024 Yamaha VX Cruiser HO Review January 17, 2024 Remembering the Sea-Doo XP March 16, 2016 2008 Kawasaki Jet Ski Ultra 250X Review July 11, 2008 Yamaha Unveils New 1.9 Liter Engine August 14, 2023 2023 Sea-Doo GTR 230 Review June 6, 2023 Latest Stories 2024 Sea-Doo RXP-X 325 Review Heavy Haulers – PWC Storage Options First Look: 2025 Kawasaki Jet Ski Ultra 160LX-S Angler 2024 Yamaha VX Cruiser HO Review 2024 Sea-Doo Spark Trixx Review Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Newsletter